This invention is concerned with tubular knitted therapeutic stockings and more particularly to the foot construction thereof.
The foot construction of therapeutic stockings is beset with a number of problems arising, for example, from the necessity of maintaining the stocking in position, while achieving comfortable fit and the desired pressure distribution, and usually of providing an inspection toe opening as well, and of doing this at reasonable cost.
Therapeutic stockings knitted on machines with reciprocating cylinders usually contain non-elastic heel and toe pockets. The knitting of these heel and toe pockets is very time consuming and therefore more costly. Multifeed tube type hosiery machines are more efficient and less costly to operate but they are not constructed to provide reciprocated heel and toe pockets. It is therefore necessary to devise other means to produce shaped, form-fitting heel and toe pockets.